It’s way too early to even begin talking about the 2014 college football season, but it’s fun to do it anyway. From how things are looking in January, Florida State is the team to beat heading into 2014. The Seminoles will lose some key starters on defense to the NFL draft, but the offense is largely intact, with QB Jameis Winston back for at least one more year. Jimbo Fisher has recruited well enough that the defense should be able to reload at the CB, LB and NT positions.

Right behind the Seminoles, Alabama will truck right along, while the Ducks, Tigers and Buckeyes return enough important pieces to be early contenders for the four national semi-final slots in college football’s first playoff.

1 -- Florida State

Bobby Bowden built quite a dynasty at Florida State in the nineties, and the Jimbo Fisher-led Seminoles are starting to take on that sort of form. FSU will fight to defend its national championship.

2 -- Alabama

Speaking of dynasties, the Crimson Tide should be fine without quarterback A.J. McCarron and could gain a QB in FSU’s Jacob Coker, who might transfer in. Either way, they return 16 starters on offense and defense.

3 -- Oregon

The biggest loss the Ducks suffered was the retirement of defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti at the end of 2013. But they return QB Marcus Mariota and CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and will be competitive.

4 -- Auburn

The Tigers were a young team in 2013 and still managed to reach the national championship game. Think about how good they might be in their second season under Gus Malzahn?

5 -- Ohio State

QB Braxton Miller’s decision to put off the NFL draft for another year was huge for a Buckeyes team that came one win away from a Rose Bowl berth.

6 -- Stanford

The Cardinal loses some key defensive players to the NFL draft, but David Shaw has shown his ability to build on the success that Jim Harbaugh started and Stanford will field a tough, nard-nosed team.

7 -- Oklahoma

The Sooners’ win over Alabama was a coming out party for the athletic, accurate quarterback, Trevor Knight. Can they build this team up around him and control the Big 12?

8 -- Baylor

With head coach Art Briles and quarterback Bryce Petty back, the offense should be an explosive as ever and opposing defenses will once again struggle to keep up.

9 -- Georgia

The Bulldogs were crippled by the injury bug in 2013, and will have to replace record-setting QB Aaron Murray. But the Bulldogs’ young defense should be much improved from 2013.

10 -- LSU

LSU is coming off four-straight double digit-win seasons and will return most of its defense and all five offensive linemen from 2013. But can the Tigers replace QB Zach Mettenberger?

11 -- Michigan State

The Spartans’ dream season in 2013 that ended with a Rose Bowl win but they’ll have to restock half their defensive starters. The offense should be better in QB Connor Cook’s second year.